Flexitarian Entrees

Robyn’s Classic Curry with Squash and Kale

Ingredients:

3 large garlic cloves, minced or chopped

1 onion, sliced into half moons

1 carrot, small dice

1 ½ cups roasted butternut squash, I pre-roasted a giant batch and will eat throughout the week, chop squash, season with olive oil salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees until caramelized, about 35-50 minutes

1 can beans, rinsed and drained (garbanzo or navy)

1/2 bunch of kale, chopped

1 can coconut milk

1 cup vegetable stock

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp coriander

1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil

Generous sprinkle of sea salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add coconut oil to large non-stick pan and sauté garlic, onion and carrot for about 7-8 minutes until carrot begins to soften.

2. Add spices, salt and pepper and mix to coat vegetable. Cook another 2-3 minutes allow the spices to warm through and flavor the vegetables.

3. Pour coconut milk and vegetable stock to the pan and mix thoroughly. Add beans, squash and kale and cover and continue to cook until vegetables are soft and flavors are well combined, about 5-7 minutes.

4. Taste and adjust seasoning adding more salt and pepper or more curry powder.

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.

2. In a large bowl season the cut squash with cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil. Spread over baking sheet.

3. Let the squash roast for 35-45 minutes or until fork tender (fork slips easily in and out).

4. On one tortilla, lay ¼ cup each of the goat cheese, black beans, roasted squash then the baby arugula. Proceed to do this with the remaining 3 tortillas and then top all prepared tortillas with additional tortilla.

5. In a large sauté pan melt one tablespoon of butter. Add quesadillas to pan and proceed to cook over medium heat until golden brown. Flip quesadilla and repeat on the other side.

6. Cut quesadillas and serve with Avocado Crema

Avocado Crema

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream or full fat greek yogurt

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed

Juice of 1 lime (can swap lemon if you don’t have any limes)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. Purée yogurt and avocado until smooth, add lime juice.

2. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a sprinkle of cilantro if using.

2. Stir in minced garlic and ginger. Place the sliced salmon into a bowl and add enough marinade to cover the fish. Marinate for 20-30 minutes

Directions (Collard Wraps):
1. Remove the stalk from the collards to give you 2 separate leaf pieces. Lay them onto your work surface, dark/shiny side down. Place 1-2 nori sheets on the middle of the collard leaf. Place 1 salmon strip onto the nori.

2. Top with some carrots, fennel, cilantro leaves, and sprouts. Drizzle some of the marinade over everything. Roll the collards up (like a sushi roll)

Snobby Joes

Everyone loves Sloppy Joes! This version thinks its better than everyone because it contains so meat. And there’s no soy, either. Lentils are the perfect texture for vegetarian sloppy Joes.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked green lentils

4 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

1 green pepper, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon salt

8 oz can tomato sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

4 to 6 kaiser rolls or sesame buns (optional – for serving)

Directions:

1. Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.

2. About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more. Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes.

3. Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through.Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld, or go ahead and eat immediately if you can’t wait.

3. Remove the salmon from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the coconut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat for 1 minute on each side. You should hear a sizzle. Remove fillets from the heat and transfer to a glass baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven.

4. Meanwhile, pour the reserved marinade into the skillet and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and syrupy. Remove the salmon from the oven, drizzle the with the remaining glaze and serve.

2. In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add lentil mixture; mix well. Divide into 4 equal-size parts; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hand into 3/4-inch-thick patties.

3. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add burgers; cook over medium-low heat until crisp and browned, turning gently with a thin-edged spatula, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Yogurt Cilantro Sauce:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cilantro, and lemon; season with salt and pepper.

Eggplant-Veggie Lasagna

This is a somewhat time-consuming dish to prepare, but the finished product makes for great leftovers or could be frozen. This lasagna is heavy on veggies and light on cheese and pasta.

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, cut length-wise into thin strips

2 zuchinni, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bag frozen spinach, thawed

10 whole wheat lasagna pasta strips

1 jar tomato sauce (we used Amy’s organic brand)

1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta*

1 C mozzarrella*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Sweat the eggplant by salting them and then letting them rest for 30 mins.

3. While the eggplant is sweating, cook pasta according to directions.

4. Saute the eggplant in a small amount of olive oil for ~3 minutes on each side.

5. Remove eggplant from pan and set aside. Saute the onion until slightly tranlucent, then add zuchinni and spinach. Saute for about 10 minutes or until everything is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Begin layering: layer of pasta, layer of eggplant, layer of sauce, thin layer of ricotta, layer of all cooked veggies, layer of eggplant, layer of pasta, layer of ricotta, layer of sauce, thin layer of mozzarella sprinkled on top.

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

8. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.

* Portions of cheese can easily be modified according to taste

Cashew Crusted Cod

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 cod loin fillets

1/2 cup cashews, very finely chopped

2 tablespoons silken tofu

4 tablespoons chives, chopped

1 teaspoon mustard

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place cod in a lightly greased, shallow baking dish.

3. In a separate small dish mix the tofu and mustard, season with salt and pepper.

4. In a small dish mix chives, horseradish, lemon zest and juice.

4. Cover cod evenly with both mixtures.

5. Top with cashews.

6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the fish is just done, and the crust is golden and crunchy.

Vegetarian Bean Chili

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 red, green or yellow pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon each chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano

3 cups cooked red, black or kidney beans

1 cup spring water or vegetables stock

2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar or organic tomato paste

1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté until the onion starts to brown.

2. Add the rest of the vegetables, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Sauté for 5 minutes.

3. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

Variations:

Add other vegetables like celery, zucchini or summer squash.

Skip the chili powder, use ginger instead to create a different taste.

Add fresh or frozen corn and you have a grain-bean combination in one pot.

Add cooked brown rice for a tasty rice and bean dish.

Ginger Broiled Salmon

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 4-ounce wild salmon fillets

2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

2 tablespoons umeboshi plum vinegar

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Mix the vinegar, oil, water and ginger.

Place the fish in a baking dish and marinate in sauce for 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler, then broil fish skin side down for 6-8 minutes, depending on how you like your salmon cooked.

Baste once or twice while broiling.

Serve, using the remaining marinade as sauce.

Swiss Chard Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 bunch rainbow Swiss chard, finely chopped

1/2 package baked tofu cut into bite-size cubes

2 cups red cabbage, shredded coarsely

2-3 carrots, grated

1 cup toasted walnuts

Oriental Dressing

2-3 cloves garlic (pressed or chopped)

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup walnut oil

2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil

Directions:

1. Cut off stems of the Swiss chard and slice small, then chop leaves by rolling the chard into a tube and

slicing thinly, creating narrow strips.

2. Blend all dressing ingredients and mix well. The dressing will last for a few days in the refrigerator.

For chicken – you can marinate one hour to overnight
Shrimp – marinate 30 min to one hour – make sure you add the lemon juice and zest in the last 15 minutes or you will “cook” the shrimp with the acid in the lemon

2. Cook grain recipe

3. Cook protein – pull from marinade bag and sauté in pan till cooked through. Chicken till no longer pink, shrimp about 3-4 minutes on each side depending on size. You can add more lemon juice to the pan for more sauce or some white wine if you have some.